Tumblr: A Brave New World
Advertisers have long staked their claim on the social media behemoths Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Tumblr has been on the scene since 2007, but it’s only until now that marketers are meekly exploring the option of advertising on the platform.
One of the earlier promotional uses of Tumblr was for The Hunger Games film earlier this year. A fashion Tumblr site was created to coincide with the movie’s release, called Capitol Couture. The selection of Tumblr as the film’s promotional platform was no mere accident. Firstly, the intended target audience already held a strong fan presence on the microblogging site (this wasn’t just with Hunger Games; Tumblr plays home to virtually every fan community of other movies and TV shows, past and present). Secondly, the inhabitants of the film’s dystopian setting dress in bright futuristic ensembles. Tumblr also happens to host a lively fashion community, so it was a fitting choice to settle down there.
The Tumblr blog doesn’t merely consist of content from the movie studios – for instance, flamboyant images of haute couture designs that happen to echo the costume designs in the film were “reblogged” to diversify content. The Tumblr and Hunger Games was a good match: it was a relevant and intelligent way of getting fans that were already there to interact with the Hunger Games universe in a familiar medium order to build hype.
Tumblr excels at brand advertising. Skepticism taints the modern consumer’s perception of push marketing strategies. We are ever aware that companies are trying to sell us something we might not need or want. And so up comes the resistance. Suddenly we’re no longer paying attention. But we humans are hardwired to be drawn to narratives. Tumblr is all about “visual storytelling”, which is what makes the site so compelling. In this way, brands aren’t necessarily selling anything… anything tangible anyway. It could be a lifestyle, or simply a feeling. There may not be a direct measure of return on investment, but the interactions gained and interest piqued could bring your brand to the forefront – and keep it there.
